KARACHI: Torrential rain lashed the Pakistani financial capital of Karachi on Thursday, causing widespread flooding, as downpours in August shattered 89-year-old records for the city, meteorological officials said.

Thursday marked the third day of heavy rain this week, during which at least 13 people have died, according to media, while residents have been forced to abandon their homes.

Provincial authorities were moving displaced families into school buildings, as the military carried out rescue and relief operations.

“It has never rained so much in the month of August, according to our data,” the country’s chief meteorological officer, Sardar Sarfaraz, told Reuters, adding that the data went back to 1931, 16 years before Pakistan gained independence from Britain.

Some 484 mm (19 inches) of rain had fallen this month, 130 mm on Thursday alone, he said.

Four children and three women died after a wall of residential building collapsed in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of metropolis.

A 30-year-old man was electrocuted to death in Landhi area, Edhi services said. His body was shifted to a nearby hospital.

The Met department said Karachi received 223.5mm of rain in just 12 hours on Thursday alone, the highest amount of rain ever recorded in a single day in the city.

The previous 24-hour record was on July 26, 1967, when 211.3mm was recorded at Masroor base.

National Disaster Management Authority is also continuing its rescue and relief operations in rain affected areas of Karachi.

According to Spokesperson of NDMA Shazia Haris, these operations and drainage activities are being carried out by the Pak Army in collaboration with local civil administration.

She said food, drinking water and other essential items are being provided to rain affected people while 56 relief camps have also been established.

She said the NDMA also provided 3000 tents to Sindh government for rain-hit people